We have official details for you on HBO's updated From The Earth To The Moon: The Signature Edition (due 9/20 - SRP $99.98). The 5-disc set will include all 12 episodes in anamorphic widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1 EX audio. The extras look to be mostly the same as what was available on the original DVD release (although some of contents that were previously ROM based MAY now be available on the set-top side). The extras will include the HBO First Look behind-the-scenes featurette, a special effects featurette, information on Famous Astronomers, History of the Moon and The Space Race timelines, video of President Kennedy's historic speech to Congress on May 25, 1961, an interactive tour of the solar system and other space phenomena, promotional trailers for the mini-series and more. There MAY be a bit of new material as well - we should know more soon.

BarryLowe

For people like me who have been delaying replacing their VHS version of FTETTM, Best Buy is currently selling these Signature Edition DVD sets for only $14.99.

Blackarrow

I was rather hoping to be able to replace my DVD set with a Bluray set. Is there any indication that this series will be released on Bluray? Was it even filmed in high definition?

cv1701

The series was filmed on film, which by itself would be more than capable of being upgraded to high definition. The potential problem, though, would be if the series was edited on video equipment and the masters exist only on standard definition video tapes.

I know that's the problem Paramount has with releasing Star Trek: The Next Generation on Blu-ray. It was filmed on film, but the special effects were video effects and the episodes were edited only after being converted to video. The episode masters exist only on standard definition video tapes. In order to release the episodes in HD, the unedited master film rolls would have to be pulled from the archives, the episodes re-edited, and the special effects redone. Easier said than done.

The original series of Star Trek, however, was filmed and edited without ever leaving the film process, so the masters are literally rolls of film which can be digitized in HD quality relatively easily.

Blackarrow

Ah, the benefits of later technology....

arjuna

I'm pretty sure it was shot on film, but I remember reading somewhere that the issue is that it was edited for the 4:3 aspect ratio, so they would have to go and re-edit the entire thing again in 16:9.

Unlikely, as much as I'd love for it to be otherwise.

Pat Gleeson

quote:Originally posted by arjuna:...the issue is that it was edited for the 4:3 aspect ratio, so they would have to go and re-edit the entire thing again in 16:9.

In fact I understand the Signature Edition cropped the original 4:3 aspect ratio to fit 16:9 displays.

As the first HBO US DVD release was 4:3, this is how it should be presented on Blu-Ray - pillarboxed as the Star Trek original series Blu-Ray's were.

Blackarrow

I'm scratching my head here: I have the NTSC DVD set issued a few years before the Signature Edition. I need an all-region DVD player and NTSC-capable TV to view it, but it produces a perfect widescreen (16:9) picture, with no obvious loss either at the sides or top and bottom.